You may not hear about many celebrity sightings on Lake Maggiore; there are no Clooney-caliber stars who spend their summers here boating with their A-list friends. Instead, there are small towns, botanical gardens, lakeside beaches, ample opportunities for hiking, biking, and boating, and a decidedly laid-back vibe when compared to its posher sibling, Lake Como.

At about 82 square miles, Lake Maggiore is Italy’s second-largest lake after Lake Garda. Its opposing shores are in two different regions of Italy, Lombardy to the east and Piedmont to the west. Its northern tip is even in a different country, in Switzerland’s Italian-speaking canton of Ticino. Like its closest neighbors, lakes Como and Lugano, Maggiore is glacially carved and characterized by a steep shoreline, dramatic mountain peaks on all sides, and cold, clear, deep water that’s fed by and empties into several rivers.

The scenery may be hard to beat, but Lake Maggiore’s vibe is its biggest draw. “When people ask me whether they should go to Lake Como or Lake Maggiore, I always say Maggiore,” says travel writer Beth Graham. “Lake Maggiore offers a more relaxed atmosphere, a softer coastline, and a wider variety of towns to explore.”

If you’re interested in strolling through small, charming towns that have retained much of their authenticity, eating locally sourced food at simple trattorias, and enjoying a quieter slice of Italian lakeside life, Maggiore may be your spot. Here’s a look at the best things to do, places to stay, and things to eat on Italy’s chilled-out Lake Maggiore.

Best Hotels & Resorts

Hotel Villa e Palazzo Aminta

When you’re not gazing at nearby Isola Bella from your balcony, you might ogle it over a morning cappuccino on the terrace or while lounging at the lakeside pool. And while the setting of this five-star spa hotel is what she calls “dreamlike,” for luxury travel and events planner Nicole Bono, it’s the service that won her over. “It’s impeccable, the kind of hospitality that’s so polished it feels effortless.” She’s also a fan of the spa, a grotto-like retreat that she says “will have you rethinking your return flight.”

Hotel La Palma

Graham calls this family-run four-star property “the best hotel on the lake,” and touts it as “quaint, comfortable, and affordable.” Rooms and suites have a modern, restful vibe, and premium units come with lake-view balconies (because really, if you’ve come this far, splurge for the view). An infinity pool at lake level, plus a rooftop pool, bar, and spa, help this hotel stand out as a relative bargain, especially in the high summer season.

Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées

Lake Maggiore’s original grand dame hotel is the place to check in for a heady amount of history, as well as all the gilt, inlay, and brocade that can fit into a single suite. An extensive park with pools makes this an excellent choice for families, and private tours of the Borromeo Islands depart from the hotel’s boat dock. Reserve well in advance to snag the Hemingway Suite, where the writer convalesced at the end of WWI; he later memorialized the hotel and lake in “A Farewell to Arms”.

Hotel Eden Roc Ascona

If your lake sojourn leads you north, there are few nicer places to stay on the Swiss side of Lake Maggiore than this modern waterfront retreat, billed as “Switzerland’s only beach resort.” Fresh from a major renovation, the hotel’s pillars are its extensive spa, two-Michelin-starred restaurant, La Brezza (one of four on-property), and a private beach and water sports center.

Best Things to Do

Island-hop the Borromeans.

“The Borromeo family, nobles who were originally from Tuscany, helped to define the lake as we see it today,” says Rachael Martin, whose book “Walking Italy: A Guide for Tourists and Armchair Travellers” debuts in March. The family started buying up small islands just off Stresa in the 1600s and still owns several of them today. On Isola Bella, 17th-century Palazzo Borromeo is home to works by Van Dyck and Rubens. “It sits among 10 tiers of jaw-dropping gardens,” says Bono, “where white peacocks roam, grottoes glisten with shells and mirrors, and perfectly manicured hedges stand in precise symmetry. This is Italy at its most extravagant.”

Ride the Lago Maggiore Express to Switzerland and back.

The Italian-Swiss border is a novelty of Lake Maggiore, and this boat and narrow-gauge rail experience allows you to make an easy day trip from one country to the other (and back again) in adventurous style. Boats depart from several points along the Italian shores of the lake, then hop their way all the way up to Locarno, on the Swiss side. From there, a scenic, slow-moving train takes you to Domodossola, where you can catch a regularly scheduled train back to Stresa, Verbania, or other towns on the Italian side.

Sip a spritz in Cannobio.

Bono calls the town of Cannobio “impossibly charming, like it belongs on a postcard.” Cannobio’s combination of twisty cobblestone alleyways and a dreamy lakefront promenade indeed strike a sweet spot. Once you’ve wandered, Bono suggests finding a lakeside cafe and “ordering an Aperol spritz with a side of dolce far niente.”

Stop and smell the flowers at Villa Taranto.

The lake’s Mediterranean microclimate makes it a prime spot for botanical gardens, and many of these verdant showplaces are open to the public. Those at Villa Taranto are among Martin’s favorites. “They’re incredibly colorful from spring to fall, and there are fountains, terraces, ponds, and woodlands—it’s just an idyllic way to spend a few hours. There’s also a charming little bistro on-site.” The gardens are closed in the winter.

Soar over the lake on the Laveno cable car.

From Laveno, on the eastern side of the lake, the Laveno Mombello cable car whisks visitors up to the top of Mount Sasso del Ferro, from where the views of the snow-capped Alps, the lake, and the towns hugging its shoreline are nothing short of breathtaking. Power up with a meal at the summit restaurant before hiking or riding back down to Laveno. Acrophobics take note: This quirky cable car carries passengers, two at a time, in open or closed metal baskets that are not for the faint of heart.

Best Restaurants

Hostaria Vita

This smart restaurant on Piazza Cardona is Graham’s go-to spot in Stresa for both dining and people-watching. “I love sitting on the piazza and observing as people go about their day. Hostaria Vita sits beneath a canopy of trees and serves traditional pasta dishes and great seafood, perfect for a light lunch.” They also do nice dinner-sized salads, which aren’t always easy to find in Italy.

Mirafiori & La Terrazza

Alborelle are small, bony freshwater fish that favor the cold lakes and streams of central Europe. They’re a longtime staple of Lake Maggiore, fried crispy and eaten whole—just don’t think too much about it—often as part of a fritto misto platter of fried fare. Seek them out at this uber-casual bar and restaurant, set right on the lake in Feriolo.

Ristorante Italia

Only one of the Borromean Islands has a permanent community, and fortunately for visitors, this absolutely charming restaurant is part of it. “The location is just gorgeous, and lake fish are always on the menu,” says Martin, who’s currently writing a book about the Italian lakes. The restaurant offers a free taxi boat service from Baveno or Stresa.

Il Vicoletto

“We stumbled upon Il Vicoletto while searching for a restaurant that serves vegan food for my daughter,” says Graham, “and it quickly became our favorite spot in Stresa. It’s a cozy restaurant on a quiet side street with an amazing menu of homemade pasta, plus more upscale main courses of fish, veal, and beef.”

Best Time to Visit

For peak warm-weather activities like boating and swimming, July and August offer the warmest temperatures but also the densest crowds. Mid-September, after kids are back in school, and into October are prime periods for hiking, but likely too cool for swimming.

Low season is from the beginning of November to mid-March, and during this time, many lakefront restaurants, bars, and hotels close for the season, as do some attractions, such as cable cars and botanical gardens. Lake ferry services still run, but with an abbreviated schedule.

How to Get There

The closest major airport to Lake Maggiore is Milan Malpensa. From here, Stresa, the main town on the lake, is less than a one-hour drive. Direct trains from Milano Centrale railway station reach Stresa, as well as other towns along the west coast of the lake, in a little more than an hour. To reach towns on the eastern side of the lake, you either have to drive or change trains in Gallarate.

Towns to Visit

Stresa

Stresa is by far the best-known destination on the lake, thanks in large part to its proximity to the Borromean Islands, just five minutes offshore. It has the most developed tourism infrastructure on the Italian part of the lake, and many visitors choose to base here.

Cannobio

Cannobio is regarded by many as the prettiest town on the lake. The Cannobino River runs through the town, which is known for its pastel-colored houses, a wide lakefront promenade, and the Sanctuary of the Holy Pieta, which houses a relic that, in the 16th century, allegedly saved the townspeople from an outbreak of plague.

Laveno

Laveno often gets overlooked, as does most of the eastern coast of the lake, as it’s a little harder to get to. But the Lombardy side of the lake sports the same scenery, with a more relaxed vibe and potentially lower hotel prices. It’s also just a boat ride away from the western shoreline.

How to Get Around

A rental car is useful for exploring small towns and for heading up into higher-elevation areas not served by cable cars. But if you base in Stresa or any of the towns served by lake ferries (operated by Navigazione Laghi), you can easily reach dozens of spots along the lake without a car.